His agent, Ramy Abbas, confirmed that the attacker’s hamstring injury was more serious than initially believed. Salah would undergo recovery with his club in England and join the national team once he was fully healed. The news of Salah’s early return to Anfield would likely please those associated with the six-time European champions. However, Jurgen Klopp would be unable to include Salah in any matchday squad while the north Africans were still participating in the AFCON, in accordance with FIFA regulations.
According to FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, clubs are obligated to release their registered players to the representative teams of their eligible countries. This is based on the player’s nationality, if they are called up by the relevant association. Any agreement between a player and a club that contradicts this rule is prohibited.
Although speculation suggested Salah had returned to England, it appears that he is still in west Africa. He was captured in photos celebrating Egypt’s qualification to the next round of the continental showpiece after their 2-2 draw with Cape Verde on Monday night.